Jazz-Opera 1984: A Dystopian Vision Reimagined

Christian Klinkenberg's Opera 1984 plunges audiences into a not-so-distant future, drawing inspiration from George Orwell's classic novel. This work presents a dystopian vision of a totalitarian surveillance state, building upon Orwell's characters and the novel's core structure.

In this chilling future, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) monitors humanity, which has brought Earth to the brink of destruction. The AI's purpose is to guide humans and nature towards a harmonious, healthy existence – a stark contrast to the oppressive reality it enforces.

Klinkenberg's score for Opera 1984 uniquely blends rock and jazz with contemporary music elements. As critic Jeff Schinker noted in Tageblatt, "Klinkenberg's play with microtonality and a score streamed graphically on laptops is sophisticated, cerebral and fun at the same time - and is skilfully embedded in the esprit of Orwell's dystopia thanks to [director] Ela Baumann's ability to oscillate almost effortlessly between humour and horror."

This production, featuring author and director Ela Baumann, offers a compelling and modern adaptation of Orwell's timeless warning.